Method of making artificial branch assemblies and resulting artificial branch assembly

ABSTRACT

A method of making artificial branch assemblies utilizes two elongated stiff wires, each of which is in a plastic sheath. First, one of the ensheathed wires is placed into a horizontal mode in a jig. A number of branches are space along the sheathed wire in the jig, each branch being centered on and at right angles to the sheathed wire. The second sheathed wire is placed over the branches so that the branches are sandwiched between them. Then, a number of temporary clamps hold the sheathed wires to one another so that the branches remain in place. Finally the wires are twisted along their long axes for form an artificial branch assembly.

A. MOTTEL 3,834,976 METHOD OF MAKING ARTIFICIAL BRANCH ASSEMBLIES ANDRESULTING Sept. 10, 1974- AR'IIFICIAb BRANCH ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. '2, 1973 A. MOTTEL CIAL BRANCH ARTIFICIAL. BRANCH Sept 103,834,976 ASSEMBLIES AND RESULTING ASSEMBLY Y 1974 METHOD OF MAKINGARTIFI 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 7, 1973 METHOD OF MAKING ARTIFICIALBRANCH ASSEMBLIES AND RESULTING ARTIFICIAL BRANCH ASSEMBLY Alan Mottel,Yonkers, N .Y., assignor to Consolidated Novelty Co., Inc., Paterson,NJ. Filed Sept. 7, 1973, Ser. No. 395,140 Int. Cl. A47g 33/06 US. Cl.161-42 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of making artificialbranch assemblies utilizes two elongated stiff wires, each of which isin a plastic sheath. First, one of the ensheathed wires is placed into ahorizontal mode in a jig. A number of branches are spaced along thesheathed wire in the jig, each branch being centered on and at rightangles to the sheathed wire. The second sheathed wire is placed over thebranches so that the branches are sandwiched between them. Then, anumber of temporary clamps hold the sheathed wires to one another sothat the branches remain in place. Finally the wires are twisted alongtheir long axes to form an artificial branch assembly.

This invention relates to decorative articles and specifically toartificial branch assemblies used in the making of artificial Christmastrees, and a method of making such artificial branch assemblies.

Artificial Christmas trees have been popular for many years, and variousmethods and apparatus for making the same and their component parts areknown. These prior methods have in general been costly, time-consumingand requiring of an extensive amount of hand labor.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide artificialbranch assemblies for use in the making of artificial Christmas trees,which are capable of being made by mass production techniques, and whichcan be carried out at relatively low cost with a minimum amount ofskilled hand labor, and which are attractive and simulate natural trees.

Among the relevant prior art is Raymond, Pat. No. 3,244,577. This patentdemonstrates a method of making artificial Christmas tree componentsthrough the use of elongated twisted wires. Specifically, first anelongated wire is placed in tension between a pair of gripping heads.Branches comprising twisted wires capturing fiber glass filaments arereversely bent over, hairpin fashion, and are spaced along the tensionedwire in clusters. Then, each branch is bent further about itself to forma loop completely encircling the tensioned wire. A second wire is placedover the first wire, and the wires are twisted to capture the branches.The disadvantage in this technique, is the requirement of the time andhand labor needed to twist each branch individually about the tensionedwire, prior to the same being permanently captured and further: more,the resulting product is a poor imitation of a natural Christmas tree.

In Dieffenbaeh, Pat. No. 3,594,260, another method of making artificialbranches is shown. There, two long stiff wires are taken, and a branchis placed between them, adjacent to one set of ends thereof. Then, asmall tubular spacer is slid over one set of ends of the wires to apoint adjacent to this branch. Then, another branch is placed betweenthe wires, and still another spacer is slid over the ends of the twowires. This continues until the two wires hold a number of branchescrosswise between them, each separated by a spacer, and then the wiresare twisted to form an assembly branch. The disadvantage of this methodlies in the inherent slowness and labor of sliding one tubu- UnitedStates Patent lar spacer after another from one end of the pair of wiresto a position along the length of the wires.

The present invention contemplates a method of making artificial branchassemblies which is considerably simpler, and requires less labor thanthe methods just mentioned. Specifically, two stiff wires are eachensheathed in plastic. One of these wires is placed in a horizontal modein a jig. Then, branches are placed transversely of the stiff wire andspaced along its length, the branches being held in place by the samejig. Next, the second stifii wire, also ensheathed, is placed over thefirst stiff wire, thereby to form a sandwich comprising a pair ofensheathed stiff wires with cross branches between them. A number ofremovable clamps are then placed to hold these stiff wires to oneanother and to hold the branches temporarily in place. Lastly, the endsof the stiff wires are twisted to permanently capture the branches inplace between them, whereupon the temporary clamps may be removed.

The manner in which the foregoing and other objects of the presentinvention are attained will be apparent from the accompanyingspecification and claims considered with the drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a stiff wire being ensheathed inplastic tubing;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ensheathed wire having been placedinto a jig;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ensheathed wire in the jig, with anumber of branches also in the jig being situated over the ensheathedwire perpendicularly thereof;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but with the second wire, alsoensheathed, placed over the branches and first ensheathed wire;

FIG. 5 shows the placement of temporary clamps to hold the stiff wiresand branches;

FIG. 6 shows, schematically, the application of a powered twistingapparatus to the remote ends of the stiff wires;

FIG. 7 shows, in an enlargement, the stiff wires after their twisting,and their capture of a cross branch;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the branch assembly taken along theline 8-8 of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is another cross-sectional view of the branch assembly, takenalong the line 9-9 of FIG. 7.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows an ensheathed wire10, comprising an elongated substantially cylindrical stiff, desirablymetal, wire 12 and a plastic sheath 14. The sheath 14 may be slippedover the length of the wire 12, or other methods may be utilized toobtain sheathed wires, as for example dipping the stiff wire in aplastic bath, and then cooling the same.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the ensheathed wire 10 is placed into a specialjig 16. The jig comprises an elongated base 18 and a pair of opposed endwalls 20, 22. Each end wall is attached to the base 18, and has acentral vertical slot 24, 26 respectively, in it, the slots 24, 26 beinopen at the top and continuing to a location short of the bottoms of theend walls. The slots 24, 26 are configured to receive at least the stiffwire component 12 of the ensheathed wire 10. Desirably only the wire 12extends through the slots 24, 26 in the end walls. The slots 24, 26serve to hold the ensheathed wire 10 somewhat above the base 18 of thejig, in a generally horizontal mode.

Holders 28 are situated in the jig in rows along each side of thesheathed wire 10, each holder constituting a pair of upright rods. Eachholder 28a on one side of the ensheathed wire 10, has a counterpart 28bin alignment with it, on the other side of the ensheathed wire 10. Theline of alignment is generally perpendicular of the axis of the wire 10.

Turning now to FIG. 3, it will be seen that the holders 28 serve tofunction as guides for artificial branches 30a,

30b, etc., which are placed therein. Each branch comprises a pair oftwisted wires forming a twisted wire core 32, which capture a multitudeof man-made, natural or synthetic yarns, fibers, needles, filaments orother decorative elements (hereinafter referred to for convenience asneedles) of generally cylindrical external configuration. The making ofsuch branches is well known in the art, and is shown in both the Raymondand Dietfenbach patents, previously mentioned. Desirably, the centralportion 36 of each branch 30 is absent of filaments, so that there areno filaments on a branch, situated between each pair of holders 28a,28b. However, each branch may have its entire length covered withfilaments. To form shaped branch assemblies, which will be furtherexplained, several branches may be placed in a pair of holders 28a, 28b,and the shape, size, color and length of the branches may vary in theholders along the length of the jig.

As a next step, as seen in FIG. 4, a second wire 38, also ensheathed, isplaced in the jig 16 and in the slots 24, 26 thereof, over the firstensheathed wire 10, and over the branches on the jig. Desirably, theensheathed wires 10, 38 are identical in construction.

Temporary, relatively small clamps 40, seen in FIG. 5, are placed togrip and hold together the ensheathed wires 10, 38 along the lengthsthereof. Although shown as such, it is not necessary to utilize clamps40 between each pair of branches 30. The clamps 40 serve to temporarilysecure the ensheathed wires 10, 38 to one another and further serve totemporarily capture the branches 30 in position.

Next, as best seen in FIG. 6, the opposed ends of the ensheathed wires10, 38 are twisted relatively in opposite directions. This is doneconventionally by placing a powered head 44 at one set of ends of theensheathed wires, and powered chuck 42 at the other ends and applying atwisting movement to form a twisted wire core. The chuck 42 and the head44 are both situated externally of the end walls 20, 22 of the jig. Suchtorque application units are mentioned in the Raymond and Diefienbachpatents, previously discussed, The head 44 twists the ensheathed wireswith respect to one another so as to firmly and securely engage thebranches 30 in place. At this point, the clamps 40 may be removed, andmay be retained for use in the next cycle of operations.

FIGS. 7 through 9, show, in enlarged detail, the resulting branchassembly. As soon there, the ensheathed wires are tightly twisted, eachsuch ensheathed wire including a central stiff wire 12 and a sheath 14.As best seen in FIG. 7, due to the twisting action, the sheaths have aspiraling outward appearance, somewhat resembling gnarled wood, and adesirable trunk-imitative look.

The twisted wire of the branch, as its central needlefree center 36,passes between the ensheathed wires, but is slightly misshapen due tothe relative twisting of the ensheathed wires 10, 38. This distortion isbest seen in FIG. 9, and such distortion aids in the secure fixation ofthe branch to the pair of twisted wires and aids in achieving a naturallook.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that an artificial branchesassembly has been presented which is suitable for mass productiontechniques and which can be manufactured by a method simply in conceptand execution.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making artificial branch assemblies from branches andstill wires, including the steps of:

(a) ensheathing each of the wires individually;

(b) placing the branches spacedly along and perpendicularly to one ofthe wires;

(c) placing the other wire over the branches and adjacent the firstwire;

(d) temporarily holding the wires and branches in place; and

(e) intertwisting the wires so as to capture the branches therebetween.

2. A method of making artificial branch assemblies as set forth in claim1 where the branches have their central portions free of needles.

3. A method of making artificial branch assemblies as set forth in claim1 wherein the branches have needles along their entire length.

4. A method of making artificial branch assemblies as set forth in claim1 further comprising utilizing a jig to maintain the stiff wires andbranches in perpendicular relation.

5. A method of making artificial branch assemblies as set forth in claim2 further including holding the wires at their ends and holding thebranches at the ends of their needle-free central portions.

6. A method of making artificial branch assemblies as set forth in claim1 further including, as step (d), clamping the wires along their lengthsat spaced locations.

7. An artificial branch assembly of the type comprising an array ofartificial branches, and a pair of intertwisted wires, the branchespassing between and being captured by the twisted wires,

the improvement comprising tubing ensheathing each individual wire, thetubings, when twisted, pressing against the branches to secure the sameand having a twisted, gnarled look.

8. An artificial branch assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein thetubings run substantially the entire length of the wires.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,633,637 9/ 1928 Trimpe l6 l-l73,234,073 2/ 1966 Raymond et al l61-24 3,244,577 4/ 1966 Raymond 161223,594,260 7/1971 Dieffenbach l6124 WILLIAM E. SCHULZ, Primary ExaminerUS. Cl. X.R. 1566l; 16124

